Raising Children to Love God

How to Help Your Children Love God

Scripture References

Primary text

• Deuteronomy 6

Other references

• Hebrews 11:6
• Galatians 6:7
• Luke 15
• Mark 7:6
• Psalm 92:13
• Matthew 6:33

Overview

Parenting has always been hard, but today’s cultural pressures, mental-health crises, and digital overload make it even tougher. Pastor Craig launches the series “Parenting on Purpose” by calling families to move from casual, “cultural Christianity” to being fully Christ-centered. Drawing on Deuteronomy 6, he shows how parents can impress God’s truth on their children: avoid three common parenting mistakes, and intentionally expose kids to people and environments that stir love for God.

Main Points

Parenting today is uniquely challenging

• Rising anxiety, depression, bullying, gender confusion, and nonstop news bombard children far earlier than in previous generations.
• Handing a nine-year-old a smartphone is effectively placing “porn in their pocket” and TikTok’s values in their mind.

• Story: When Craig’s daughters were four and six, the “bad word” tattled on was “Britney Spears”—a glimpse of how much simpler issues felt two decades ago.

Cultural Christian vs. Christ-centered family

• Many in the U.S. call themselves Christians by default, yet God is an add-on, not the center.
• Christ-centered families see loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength as their highest calling; faith conversations saturate everyday life (breakfast, drive to school, dinner table, bedtime).
• Parents hold greatest influence in the early years; truth must be “on your hearts” before you can impress it on your children.

Three common mistakes hurting our kids

1. We risk too little
   • Modern parenting often idolizes safety, pain avoidance, and “bubble-wrapping.”
   • Over-protection steals children’s confidence and removes opportunities to develop faith.
2. We rescue too quickly
   • Stepping in to finish homework, deliver forgotten jackets, or even attend job interviews prevents kids from reaping God-given consequences (Galatians 6:7).
   • In the prodigal-son parable (Luke 15), the father loved but did not bail his son out.
3. We model too weakly
   • Children imitate what they see. Hypocrisy (“honor Me with lips, hearts far away” – Mark 7:6) drives them from God faster than outright unbelief.

The law of exposure

“We can’t force our children to love God, but we can expose them to the people and experiences that increase the likelihood of spiritual growth.”

• Who and what kids are around shapes who they become and what they believe.
• Repeated exposure to ungodly media, attitudes, and peers pulls them away; strategic exposure to life-giving environments pulls them toward Christ.

Two essential exposures parents can provide

1. The joy of knowing God personally

   • Talk naturally and constantly about God’s goodness in ordinary moments (pizza night, grades, wins, losses).
   • Model prayer and Scripture reading; children will imitate a habit they observe rather than one they’re merely told about.
   • Story: All six Groeschel children read Scripture daily—not by command, but because each watched the older sibling and parents doing so.
   • Mandy (age 17) once said: “Create an environment where your kids want to discuss God so it’s something they choose, not something they have to do.”

2. The presence and power of God in His church

   • “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish” (Psalm 92:13).
   • In a Christ-centered home, gathering with the church is not optional or occasional; it’s a non-negotiable expression of following Jesus.
   • Story: Craig’s son Stephen texted on the first morning of his honeymoon asking which church to attend—proof that church had become his own priority, not just his parents’.
   • Serving turns “Mom and Dad’s church” into “my church.” When kids greet, drive a golf cart, cut doughnuts for Switch, or help in LifeKids, they develop ownership.

Becoming Christ-centered starts with us

• Parents may need to repent and reset family priorities, openly acknowledging past inconsistencies.

• Story: During a “perfect” family legacy trip, simmering conflicts erupted; a family meeting, apologies, and prayer showed real Christ-centered conflict resolution.

• Gradually transfer dependence from you to God: as they grow, they need Him more than they need you.

Key Truths

• Casual Christianity cannot withstand today’s cultural pressures; only Christ-centered families will thrive.
• Over-protection, over-rescue, and hypocrisy unintentionally cripple faith development.
• Consistent exposure shapes belief; parents curate environments that either cultivate or corrode spiritual life.
• Modeling sincere pursuit of Jesus—prayer, Scripture, worship, service—speaks louder than any lecture.
• Planting the family in a local church community anchors children and parents in rhythms that nurture lifelong faith.

Response

• Seek God first every day; let children see you pray and open Scripture.
• Loosen unnecessary safety controls; allow age-appropriate risk and natural consequences.
• Resist the urge to fix every problem; coach, don’t rescue.
• Review family schedules and make weekly worship and service non-negotiable.
• Tie ordinary moments to God’s goodness, weaving faith talk into daily life.
• Apologize swiftly when you model poorly, demonstrating real repentance.

Closing

Pastor Craig urged parents not to settle for “good Christian families” but to pursue Christ-centered homes where God is life, not an add-on. By exposing children to the joy of personally knowing God and the vitality of His church, parents increase the likelihood their kids will love and serve Jesus long after they leave home. He invited everyone—cultural Christians and skeptics alike—to surrender to Christ today.

“We can’t force our children to love God, but we can expose them to the people and experiences that increase the likelihood of spiritual growth.”

Prayer

Craig closed by praying that God would make every listener Christ-centered, fill them with His Spirit, forgive sin, and empower them to follow Jesus faithfully—both for their own sake and for the next generation.